Liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures performed worldwide. This aesthetic surgery has been around in various forms for over 40 years, and its popularity has endured because of its ability to safely and predictably reshape problem areas all over the body. Dr. MacLennan has decades of experience with liposuction, both by itself and in combination with other procedures such as breast reduction, tummy tuck, and Mommy Makeover.
What is Liposuction all about?
It’s important to know that liposuction is not a weight-loss procedure. The best candidates are of normal or slightly above-normal weight and have areas that haven’t responded to diet and exercise. We often hear “I have my mother’s thighs,” or “I have my grandmother’s hips.” It’s hard to “spot-reduce,” and these women may turn to liposuction to address their problem areas. Liposuction can help clothing fit better and improve how a woman feels about her body shape, balancing proportion and restoring confidence, but it’s not a weight loss technique.
How is Liposuction Done?
Dr. MacLennan offers tumescent or suction-assisted liposuction (“SAL”). The problem areas are injected with a solution that contains lidocaine to numb the tissue and epinephrine to minimize bleeding. A long, narrow instrument called a cannula is used to loosen the fat, and suction is applied to remove the fat from the targeted areas. Liposuction can be very effective in certain areas of the body, particularly the lower abdomen, hips, “bra rolls”, outer thighs, and upper arms. You may also have heard of “power-assisted liposuction (PAL),” which simply means that the cannulas used for suction are powered by a handpiece that makes them vibrate back and forth, reducing surgeon fatigue and tissue trauma. Dr. MacLennan uses her PAL equipment on practically every OR day!
While we don’t currently offer ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL) or laser-assisted liposuction, these are other liposuction techniques you may have heard about that can be equally effective in experienced hands. Safety is of primary importance, so we’ll ensure that your chosen procedure is likely to meet your goals with a very low risk of complications.
Who is a Good Candidate?
The best candidates for liposuction are those who are close to their ideal body weight or only mildly overweight, but have areas such as the abdomen, outer thighs (“saddlebags”), or hips (“love handles” or “muffin top”) that are out of proportion to other areas. It’s also important to have realistic expectations about results. Not everyone is the right candidate. When you have loose skin, stretch marks, or an overhang of your lower abdomen, you may be a better candidate for a tummy tuck in order to remove some of the extra skin. Likewise, if your inner thighs have loose skin and stretch marks, liposuction alone may not be able to give you the tightened result you’re hoping for. Dr. MacLennan will look at all of your areas of concern during your consultation and give you an honest recommendation based on her experience.
What is Recovery Like?
Liposuction is a safe, effective procedure with a relatively short recovery time. Most liposuction procedures are done under general anesthesia, as an outpatient, so you can go home later the same day. For smaller areas such as under the chin, we offer liposuction in the office procedure room under local anesthesia. In either case, the incisions are very small, but there can be significant bruising, and you may be quite sore for a week or more. Most of our patients take about a week off work and regular activities, but recovery time may be longer or shorter, depending upon which areas are treated. Most liposuction patients will also wear a compression garment (similar to Spanx) for about 4 weeks after surgery to help manage the swelling. You can get back to regular activities quite quickly after liposuction, since the incisions are less than 1cm each and the risk of complications is very low.
Dr. MacLennan was fantastic. She made me feel very comfortable and informed. She was always pleasant and happy to answer any and all questions I had before, during, and after my surgery. I'd highly recommend her.
If you’re interested in Liposuction, give us a call at (802) 231-4284 or fill out our online contact form today!
